Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) criticized the federal government for its lack of preparation for the “monster storm” of Hurricane Helene.
Vice President Kamala Harris was at campaign events while the first major hurricane of the season ravaged Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. More than 200 people were killed, and over 2,000 are reported missing. A second storm, Hurricane Milton, is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday.
“Here are the facts: Helene was a monster storm. We saw it coming. The federal government had time to prepare. It wasn’t prepared,” Kennedy said on Hannity on Monday. “In the middle of all this, the White House sends a FEMA representative on a national talk show on Sunday to say, ‘Stop with the hard questions. It’s hurting the morale of the FEMA employees.’ Even Jussie Smollett can’t make this stuff up.”
Kennedy blasted Harris for appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast, on which she answered small policy questions and had a discussion on feminine hygiene. It was the podcast’s first episode hosting a politician, and it aired Sunday, days after Hurricane Helene destroyed the cities in its path.
“Among other things, she’s talking about about tampons. You know, the people in Appalachia right now don’t give a function about tampons. They need water. They need to get out,” Kennedy said. “I’m sorry, I’ll say it again, you cannot make this stuff up.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has roughly $20 million in disaster funding, but according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, it will not have the funds to last through hurricane season, which usually ends on Nov. 30.
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However, FEMA allocated $640 million this year toward its Shelter and Services Program, which helps migrants find food and housing and is separate from disaster preparedness funding. Congress funded the Shelter and Services Program after voting it into effect last year. Meanwhile, Congress did not opt to add $10 billion toward natural disasters in last month’s continuing resolution to fund the government.
FEMA reported there were twice as many disasters in 2023 than in 2016.